Feds track marijuana mailing operation to Humboldt

The Humboldt County Drug Task Force has been assisting the U.S. Postal Service in an investigation tying three very distinct areas of the country to a systematic marijuana trafficking operation sending hundreds of pounds of packaged cannabis in the mail.

The investigation began in fall 2013 when U.S. Postal investigators noticed the packaged marijuana arriving at post offices in the suburban St. Charles neighborhood just west of Chicago, Illinois.

As the federal investigation continued, U.S. Postal Service Inspector Gregory Popp said they were able to track the packages to San Diego with the trail eventually leading them north to Humboldt County.

"We've identified several individuals in the San Diego area that were driving up to Willow Creek and receiving the marijuana, driving it back down to the San Diego area and mailing it out of there," he said.

The Humboldt County Drug Task Force was asked to aid in the federal investigation, recently serving a search warrant in Willow Creek. Task force Lt. George Cavinta said they currently have identified a male suspect who was not at the residence at the time of the raid. "The investigation is ongoing and further investigation by out of state and federal agencies is continuing," he said.